City of Toronto invites the public to think big and share smart city ideas

The City of Toronto is participating in the federal Smart Cities Challenge and is inviting the public to think big and share their smart city ideas for how data and technology can make a meaningful impact on life in Toronto.

Through the Smart Cities Challenge, administered by Infrastructure Canada, the City is eligible to compete for $50 million to implement a smart city initiative.

The City is committed to continuously improving and modernizing its public services and is seeking ideas from the public, businesses and community networks to solve Toronto's biggest challenges and help to improve the lives of those who live, work and play in the city.

"The City has done a lot of work to leverage data and technology to help improve the quality of life in Toronto," said Mayor John Tory. "The Smart Cities Challenge provides us with an incredible opportunity to help make Toronto a smarter city. We want the public to share their ideas for how we can solve big challenges and improve Toronto for everyone."

"Smart city initiatives can improve all aspects of livability and opportunity in a city," said Michael Kolm, the City's Chief Transformation Officer. "We're committed to improving public services – now and in the future – and the Smart Cities Challenge will help to inspire new smart approaches to make a difference in Toronto."

The City has partnered with the Toronto Public Library to engage residents in the Smart Cities Challenge. The Toronto Public Library will host a smart cities panel discussion with the City's Chief Transformation Officer, Chief Information Officer, General Manager, Transportation Services and the City Librarian. The event is open to the public and takes place on Wednesday, January 17, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., at the Toronto Reference Library.

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TorontoComms, on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cityofto.